Composite wall construction.



R. H. ROBINSON.

COMPOSITE WALL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. 1910.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH $0., WASHINGTON, D.

ROY HENRY ROBINSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMPOSITE WALL CONSTRUCTION.

Application filed September 14, 1910.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ROY HENRY RoBrN- soN, acitizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Composite Wall Constructions, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in composite wall constructions,and has in view the production of a wall more especially suitable forpartitions, though the invention is capable of embodiment in otherwalls.

The salient objects of the invention are to provide an improved methodof erecting composite wall constructions, to permit a wall composedpartly of reinforced concrete and partly of pre-formed tiles oranalogous blocks, so constructed and associated as to very greatlyminimize the manual labor incident to the laying up or erecting suchwalls; to provide a construction in which a skeleton metallic frame isreinforced with concrete and the preformed blocks interposed andinterlocked with such reinforced frame; to provide a construction inwhich all centering and construction of temporary forms for effectingthe proper placement of the concrete are dispensed with; to provide aconstruction in which pre-formed reinforced beams or bars of concreteare, by the act of erecting the wall, interbonded with previouslyerected hollow posts or studs, and the preformed blocks by the sameoperation locked rigidly in place; to provide improved means wherebyhollow studs extending from floor to floor of different stories of abuilding, and constructed sufliciently intact to hold the plasticconcrete, are nevertheless filled with concrete after being erected infinal position; to provide an extremely economical, simple and eflicientconstruction in hollow metal studs; and in general, to provideimprovements in a wall of the character referred to.

To the above ends the invention consists in the matters hereinafterdescribed, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 24:, 1915.

Serial No. 581,934.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of fragmentaryportions of a partition wall embodying my invention, in course ofconstruction; the floor sub-structure (and ceiling of a lower story),being shown in section; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of theparts shown in Fig. 1; one of the transverse reinforced concrete barsbeing shown in oblique section; Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view takenon line 3-3 of Fig. 1; the inside coat of plastering being applied andthe whole shown on an enlarged scale; Fig. 4 is a perspective detail ofa fragmentary portion of one of the hollow studs or uprights; Fig. 5 isa modification, shown in horizontal section similar to Fig. 2, themodification showing the use of reinforced concrete uprights or studs.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates as a whole a hollow sheet metalstud or upright, which is composed of two channelshaped members 2, 2,arranged with their channels I facing each other and rigidly united anddefinitely spaced apart by means of strut tongues 3 struck out of thebottoms of the respective channels, bent at right angles and extendedinto and interlocked through suitable apertures in the opposed channels,as shown clearly in the drawings. The channel members are faced towardeach other and have their proximate edges spaced apart just farenough'to form slots 4, large enough to receive the ends of metalreinforcing rods or bars, which are embedded in pro-formed reinforcedconcrete bars, severally designated as a whole 5.

The hollow studs are eventually filled with concrete, and in order tofacilitate the filling in ofthe studs, and the placing and securing ofthe latter in position, I prefer to insert short tube sections 6 throughthe horizontal partitions which form the floors, as shown clearly inFig. 1; these tube sections being suitably located to determine thefinal positions of the studs andbeing arranged to protrude a shortdistance both above and below the respective surfaces of the horizontalfloor partition. The external diameter of the tube sections 6 ispreferably about equal to the internal transverse measurements'of thehollow studs so as to serve to position the latter accurately, and inorder that the studs may be placed in position in telescopic engagementwith these tube sections one side of each stud is cut away at one end,as indicated at 7, Fig. 4:, so that the protruding part of the tube maypass I laterally through this opening. The other end of the stud may beslipped over the tube section before bringing the stud to a com.-pletely upright position.

In the preferred embodiment of my com posite wall, I associate with thespaced apart hollow uprights or studs pre-formed reinforced concretebars or stringers 5, which have their upper and lower edges madewedge-form in cross-section, so as to 'fit wedgingly intocorrespondingly shaped grooves 9, 9, formed in the upper and lower edgesof pre-formed blocks 9, which are used to fill in the spaces between thestringers. The bars or stringers 5 are suitably molded and permitted toharden before use; the bars being usually made to specified dimensionsboth as to length and cross section, so as to fit the spaces between thestuds. The ends of the metallic reinforcements 10 are so arranged as toprotrude beyond the ends of the bars proper, to enter 'the slots l ofthe hollow uprights, and to serve both to tie the structure together andto hold said reinforced concrete bars in a definite plane and againsttilting or rocking movements. Preferably each concrete bar has twometallic reinforcements 10 arranged respectively above and below itshorizontal center and both in the same vertical plane. The protrudingends thus form two studs at each end of the bar, which perform thefunctions above mentioned. As hereinabove stated, the reinforcing bars10 are of such size as to fit snugly in the slots 4 of the studs, butthe bars may nevertheless be raised and lowered as required, while thewall is being erected.

The pro-formed blocks 9 may be of any suitable and preferredconstruction, so long as they are provided with upper and lower grooves9, 9", adapted to receive the wedgeshaped upper and lower edges of the,concrete bars. As shown in the drawing, said blocks are rectangular and,as usual, made hollow or circular so as to reduce their weight. As shownat 11, Fig. 2, the blocks 9 are grooved or recessed at their ends, so asto adapt them to fit and partly embrace the hollow studs 1, but thisrecessingv of the ends of the block is not essential, as. willhereinafter appear. In order that there may be no time lost in selectingand fitting blocks, they are all made of the same. construction, i. a.recessed at both ends, so that any given block will fit against andtelescope upon one of the studs. Wherethe blocks abut each other end toend, vertical spaces are formed, as indicated at 12, Fig. 2, but theserectangular vertical spaces constitute no objection in the wall.

In erecting the wall, the hollow studs are first placed in position,then a first tier of filling blocks 9 fitted between the studs, aconcrete bar 5, then adjusted in place and its lower edge dropped downinto the grooved upper edges of the blocks. The wedge-shape of theconcrete bar brings the blocks 9 into accurate alinement and holds themthus firmly in position. A second tier of blocks is now filled in on topof the first concrete bar and the second concrete bar adjusted intoposition, and so on to the full height of the partition. In order thatthe uppermost bar 5 may be passed" into position each stud is providedat a suitable point near its upper end with a lateral inlet slot 7,leading into the main slot 4 and serving to admit the projecting ends ofthe reinforcements of the bars 5. It ,will be obvious that the last barmay be'inserted by turning it upon its side and passing it laterally inthrough the slot of the stud until the innermost reinforcement entersthe slot 4, whereupon it may be partially turned and advanced until ithas been fully, entered. After the blocks and reinforcing bars have thusbeen assembled,the interior of the hollow studs is filled with liquid orsemi-liquid concrete or cement, which is poured down through the fillingtubes from above. filling binds the hollow studs and reinforcing barstogether practically into a monolithic whole. A finishing coat ofplastering 13 (Fig. 3) may then be applied to one or both sides of thewall; the mortar entering between the slightly spaced apart edges of thetiers of blocks, as indicated at 14, thus forming the completed wall.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification in which I have substituted forthe hollow metal studs, reinforced concrete studs 15 provided in theirlaterally opposite sides with deep channels 16 for the reception of thereinforcing bars 5. In the preferred construction shown the concretestud takes the form of an I-beam with flanges of exaggerated width, andthe reinforcing rods 17 are arranged to extend'through the severalflanges 15. The wall of this construction is erected in the same generalmanner as that previously described, but after the filling blocks andreinforcement bars are in place, the concrete is filled into each of'theseparate channels 16" into which the reinforcing bars extend. This'filling of concrete serves to bond and unite the structure rigidly, andthe reinforcing bars serve. as

the skeleton frame members which determine the positions of' and holdthe blocks, as in the previously describedconstruct on. From theforegoing description it willbe This 1 obvious that the erection of thewall is but little more than dropping the elements into place, thepositions of the studs determining the positions of the reinforcing barsand the reinforcing'bars determining and fixing the positions of thefilling blocks. Skilled labor in laying the blocks is thereforeunnecessary, and centering and temporary forms of all kinds are Whollydispensed with. Nevertheless the wall when completed is extremely rigid,and so reliably united that it is impossible to remove any sectionthereof without breaking or cutting the blocks, and this without the useof mortar.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that the details ofconstruction may be considerably modified without departing from thespirit of the invention.

I claim as my invention:

. 1. A composite wall comprising a series of spaced-apart uprightsforming wall elements, a series of horizontal stringers verticallyspaced apart extending between adjacent uprights and at their endsprovided with vertical tongue and groove interengagement with theuprights, affording up and down latitude for adjustment butsubstantially preventing horizontal movement, and tiers of pre-formedfilling blocks arranged to occupy the interspaces of the skeleton frameformed by the uprights and stringers and mechanically interlocked withsaid stringers.

2. In a composite wall construction,the combination of spaced-apartuprights grooved in their lateral opposed faces, rigid preformedstringers extending between said uprights in vertically spaced-apartrelation, having their ends engaged with the grooves of the uprights,and being locked thereby against horizontal movement, pre-formedbuilding blocks grooved in their upper and lOWer edges and fittedbetween and held by adjacent stringers, and cementitious materialassociated with the uprights and stringers and serving to bond thelatter together.

3. In a composite wall construction, a series of spaced-apart tubularmetal uprights, each contructed to extend from floor to ceiling of anapartment, horizontal stringers extending from upright to upright and attheir ends having vertically slidable engagement with the opposeduprights, and pre-formed blocks arranged in tiers within the interspacesbetween the uprights and stringers, said filling blocks being grooved attheir edges and interlocked with the members of the skeleton frame whichthey serve to fill.

4. A composite wall construction comprising a series of spaced-apartuprights, each upright provided in its lateral faces which are opposedto adjacent uprights with vertical grooves, a series of laterally-stiffhorizontal stringers vertically spaced apart and havin their endsengaged with the grooves of said uprights and by the latter confinedaccurately against movement out of their plane while capable of verticaladjustment, tiers of pre-formed filling blocks occupying the interspacesbetween the skeleton frame formed by the uprights and stringers, saidblocks being grooved in one or both of their horizontal edge faces toengage the stringers, and concrete bonding said ends of the horizontalstringers within the grooves of the uprights.

5. In a composite wall construction, the combination of uprights groovedin their lateral opposed faces, rigid pre-formed reinforced concretestringers extending between said uprights in vertically spaced-apart relation and having their ends engaged with the grooves of the uprights,preformed filling blocks grooved in their up er and lower edges andfitted between and accurately held by adjacent stringers andcementitious material associated with the uprights and stringers andserving to bond the latter together.

6. A composite wall construction comprising a series of spaced-apartuprights, each provided in its lateral faces in the plane of the wallwith vertically disposed grooves, a series of rigid horizontal stringersarranged in vertically spaced-apart rela tion extending from upright toupright and having their ends engaged with the grooves of the uprights,said stringers being wedgeshaped in cross section at both their upperand lower edges, pre-formed filling blocks provided in their upper andlower edges with inwardly converging grooves adapted to fit thecorresponding edges of the stringers and interposed between thestringers and uprights, and cementitious material bonding the ends ofthe stringers within the grooves of the uprights.

7 In a composite wall construction, the combination with a serie ofhollow uprights forming wall elements extending from floor to fioor, anda series of stringers extending between said uprights and having theirends extended into the uprights, of conduits arranged to extend throughthe overhead floor and communicating with the upper end of therespective uprights, and concrete filling within said uprights servingto bond the upright and the ends of the stringers together.

8. In a composite wall construction, a plurality of tubular metaluprights constructed to extend from floor to ceiling of an apartment,but not extending through the floor and ceiling, tube sections extendingthrough the overhead and underneath floors and having telescopicengagement with the ends of said uprights, horizontal 1 i stringersextending from upright to upright I blocks being grooved .attheir edgesand inand at their ends extending Within the iholiterlocked with .themembers. of the Skeleton lows of the uprights, concrete fillingthe up-.frame whichithey serve tofill.

rights and bonding the intersecting ends QROYTH'ENRYROBINSON. 5 of thestringers, and pre-formed blocks nritnesses:

ranged in tiers within the einterspaces -;be- .r Y ALBERT 'H. .GRAVES,

tween the uprights and stringers, said filling LEMJLIHROSE.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained. for ,five centseaeh,hyra'ddressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, DIG.

